Study of the Possibility of Increasing the Thrust Efficiency and Service Life of Stationary Plasma Thrusters Operating on Krypton

Abstract

The problems arising in the development of stationary plasma thrusters operating on krypton, which is an alternative to the traditional working substance for these thrusters, xenon, are analyzed. The basic physical concepts and research results that determined the development of stationary plasma thrusters operating on xenon are considered. It is shown that they can also be used in the development of thrusters operating on krypton taking into account its features as a working substance. One of the main features is the need to operate at increased krypton flow densities and discharge power in the acceleration channel. This leads to an increase in the flows of accelerated ions on the structural elements of the thruster and the rate of their erosion, and reduces the thrust efficiency and service life of the thruster. A review of studies carried out at the Research Institute of Applied Mechanics and Electrodynamics, Moscow Aviation Institute, on the possibility of reducing ion flows on the walls of the discharge chamber in a stationary plasma thruster operating on krypton in order to increase its thrust efficiency and service life is provided.